The next major update to Microsoft's Internet Explorer website browser (v8) is due for release before the end of Q2-2008 and recent reports on ActiveWin suggest that the first beta may be about to surface. IE8 is expected to contain security improvements and some as yet unspecified feature additions, although most webmasters will be more interested in the browsers improved adherence to W3C web-design standards.

The report claims that Micrsoft will reveal new details about IE8 during next weeks Mix conference in Las Vegas. Meanwhile Firefox v3 recently released its third beta test client and is fast approaching release candidate stage, with the official launch being set to follow around the same time as IE8.